Airbag cushion construction

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are embodiments of methods and apparatus relating to automotive airbags. In one embodiment of the invention, an airbag cushion is provided having four primary panels. A front panel is provided having a substantially rectangular front face. Two substantially triangular side faces are positioned opposite from one another in the inflated airbag cushion, both of which are connected with the front panel. A rear panel including an upper rear face and a lower rear face is also provided. The upper rear face is connected to a first side of both the first and second side faces and the lower rear face is connected to a second side of both the first and second side faces.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of automotiveprotective systems. More specifically, the present invention relates toinflatable airbags for automobiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Understanding that drawings depict only typical embodiments of theinvention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of itsscope, the invention will be described and explained with additionalspecificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the panels of anembodiment of an airbag cushion.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an airbag cushion being inflated inan automobile.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the panels and othercomponents of an airbag cushion.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a fabric roll including panels used tomanufacture an airbag cushion.

FIG. 4B is a top plan view of an alternative fabric roll includingpanels used to manufacture an airbag cushion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Described below are embodiments of methods and apparatus relating toautomotive airbags. In the following description, numerous specificdetails are provided for a thorough understanding of the embodiments ofthe invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details,or with other methods, components, materials, etc.

In addition, in some cases, well-known structures, materials, oroperations are not shown or described in detail in order to avoidobscuring aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the described features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments.

In one embodiment of the invention, an airbag cushion is provided that,upon inflation, includes a front panel having a substantiallyrectangular front face, and first and second substantially triangularside faces connected with the front panel. The airbag cushion may alsoinclude a rear panel having an upper rear face and a lower rear face.The upper rear face may be connected to a first side of both the firstand second side faces and the lower rear face may be connected to asecond side of both the first and second side faces.

With reference to the accompanying figures, specific embodiments of theinvention will now be described in greater detail. FIG. 1 depicts anexploded view of an airbag cushion 100 having four primary panels.Airbag cushion 100 includes a front panel 110, a rear panel 120, a firstside panel 130, and a second side panel 140. Front panel 110 includes asubstantially rectangular front face 112 and further includes first andsecond substantially rectangular front panel side faces 114 and 116,respectively. First front panel side face 114 is positioned oppositefrom second front panel side face 116. Front panel 110 also includes asubstantially rectangular bottom face 118, as best seen in FIG. 3.

It should be understood that, whereas the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 hasvarious faces which are integral with the front panel, it iscontemplated that other embodiments may have faces which are attached toone another to comprise the front panel. This is, of course, also truefor any of the other panels and/or embodiments discussed herein.

Rear panel 120 includes a top face 122, an upper rear face 124, and alower rear face 126. Note that rear panel 120 comprises a single pieceof substantially rectangular material that has been reconfigured suchthat it has three faces. Reconfiguring the rear panel such that is hasmore than one face may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example,the rear panel may be partially folded along one or more lines.Alternatively, two or more separate pieces of material may be attachedtogether, each of which may make up a separate face of the rear panel.This is, of course, true for the front panel as well. The front panelmay be folded along one or more lines to form the various faces or,alternatively, separate pieces of material may be attached together tomake up the faces of the front panel. Lower rear face 126 includes aninflator opening 127, which is adapted to receive an inflator (notshown).

First side panel 130 and second side panel 140 are each substantiallytriangular in shape. Second side panel 140 is positioned opposite fromthe first side panel 130. One or both of the triangular side panels mayinclude a vent opening, such as vent opening 131, as shown in FIG. 1. Aswill be discussed in greater detail below, first side panel 130 may beapproximately the same size and shape as the second side panel 140. Insuch embodiments, the first and second side panels can be nestedtogether into a substantially rectangular shape, as also discussed ingreater detail below.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, a first side 132 of first side panel 130 isattached to rear panel 120 along a side of lower rear face 126. A secondside 134 of first side panel 130 is attached to rear panel 120 along aside of upper rear face 124. The third side 136 of first side panel 130is attached to front panel 110 along a side of front panel side face114. Second side panel 140 is attached to the other panels in a similarmatter. Specifically, one side of second side panel 140 is attached torear panel 120 along a side (opposite from the side at which first sidepanel 130 is attached to lower rear face 126) of lower rear face 126.Likewise, another side of second side panel 140 is attached to rearpanel 120 along a side of upper rear face 124, and the third side ofsecond side panel 140 is attached to front panel 110 along a side offront panel side face 116. Rear panel top face 122 is attached to thefront panel along the top portions of front face 112, side face 114, andside face 116. Similarly, bottom face 118 is attached along the bottomportions of side face 114, side face 116, and lower rear face 126.Bottom face 118 may be folded from, or attached to, front face 112.Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the variouspanels/faces may be attached to one another in a variety of ways, suchas by way of sewing, adhesives, welding, staples, or any other similarconnection seam methodology and/or structure for attaching two panelstogether.

FIG. 2 depicts airbag cushion 100 installed in an automobile and in aninflated state. As can best be seen in this figure, the airbag consistsof two functional volumes. A restraint volume 210 is defined by thefolded front panel 110 and the top face 122 of the rear panel 120. Therestraint volume 210 interacts with the occupant 10 and provides thebulk of the restraint. A space-filling volume 220 is positioned behindthe restraint volume 210 relative to the occupant 10 and is defined bythe upper and lower rear faces 124 and 126 (lower rear face 126 is notvisible in FIG. 2), respectively, and the two triangular side panels 130and 140. Volume 220 is substantially wedge-shaped and it occupies thespace between the vehicle windshield 20 and the instrument panel 30. Inthis manner, volume 220 can act as a support for volume 210 and cancreate cross-car stability during inflation and restraint.

As seen in FIG. 3, front panel 110 may consist of a substantiallyrectangular shape having two corners removed. Front panel 110 mayalternatively be described as consisting of a substantially rectangularshape (making up front face 112 and side faces 114 and 116 (side face116 is not visible in FIG. 3) in the finished airbag cushion) with asubstantially rectangular flap (making up bottom face 118 in thefinished airbag cushion) extending from approximately the center of oneside of the front panel 110. Side faces 114 and 116, and bottom face118, are each formed by folding front panel 110 along straight lines inthree places (two parallel and one perpendicular to the other two). Rearpanel 120, may consist of a substantially rectangular shape folded alongstraight lines in two places to form top face 122, upper rear face 124,and lower rear face 126. Side panels 130 and 140 are each substantiallytriangular in shape, and may also be of substantially the same size andshape as one another such that they can be nested together into asubstantially rectangular shape.

As also shown in FIG. 3, the airbag cushion 100 may also include one ormore vent reinforcements 152, which are typically positioned around ventopening(s) 131. One or more tethers may also be attached to the interiorof any of the various panels. In airbag cushion 100, tether 160 isattached to the lower rear face 126 of rear panel 120. Tether 160 mayextend and be attached to the front panel 110, so as to assist inrestraining the inflation size of the airbag cushion 100. Airbag cushion100 may further include a heat shield 162, along with one or moredoublers 164 to provide additional reinforcement. The heat shield 162and doublers 164 are positioned around the inflator opening 127. Awrapper 80 may be used to constrain the airbag cushion 100 in a foldedand/or rolled configuration for storage in the vehicle.

Some embodiments of the invention may be configured such that the panelsare composed of a woven material. In such embodiments, as illustrated bythe shadowed portions of FIGS. 1-3, first yarns in the front and/or rearwoven panels may be configured to extend approximately laterallyrelative to an occupant following inflation of the airbag cushion andsecond yarns to extend approximately vertically relative to the occupantfollowing inflation of the airbag cushion. Such embodiments may furtherbe configured such that the side panels each have first yarns extendingat an angle relative to both the first and second yarns of the frontand/or rear panels following inflation of the airbag cushion.

The yarns in the rectangular panels of the aforementioned embodimentsmay run longitudinally with the car, i.e., from the attachment pointdirectly towards the occupant. These embodiments may thereby provide fora deployment configuration wherein there is no or only a small anglebetween a first set of yarns in the front and/or rear panels and theairbag deployment direction. As such, it is thought that stretching mayoccur in the yarns of the front and/or rear panels, but there will notbe significant shifting among the yarns relative to each other. Becausethe triangular side panels, on the other hand, are positioned at anangle relative to the occupant (and relative to the deploymentdirection), the yarns in the side panels are allowed to move or shiftrelative to each other.

The angles at which the yarns of the side panels extend from the yarnsof the front and/or rear panels may vary. However, in one embodiment,the angles at which the first yarns of the front and/or rear panelsextend from the first and second yarns of the side panels followinginflation of the airbag cushion are at least about thirty degrees. Inanother embodiment, the angles at which the first yarns of the frontand/or rear panels extend from the first and second yarns of the sidepanels following inflation of the airbag cushion are about forty-fivedegrees.

In some embodiments of the invention, the various panels/faces may beconfigured such that the minimum distance from the inflator opening tothe connection seams between panels/faces is substantial so as to reduceburn-through and other similar problems that typically occur in the areanear the inflator. In one embodiment, the minimum distance from thecenter of the inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about140 mm. In another embodiment, the minimum distance from the center ofthe inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about 150 mm. Instill another embodiment, the minimum distance from the center of theinflator opening to a connection seam is at least about 160 mm. In yetanother embodiment, the minimum distance from the center of the inflatoropening to a connection seam is at least about 170 mm. In still anotherembodiment, the minimum distance from the center of the inflator openingto a connection seam is at least about 200 mm. In another embodiment,the minimum distance from the center of the inflator opening to aconnection seam is at least about 220 mm. In some embodiments, includingany of the various embodiments discussed above, the front face may havea width approximately equal to the width of the rear panel.

In some embodiments, the airbag cushion may be configured such that thefirst and second side panels stretch during inflation to a significantlygreater degree than the front and rear panels. In this manner, theairbag cushion may tend to curve around the occupant during deployment.This may be attributable in some embodiments to the fact that onlypanels positioned on the sides of the airbag cushion will stretch to asignificant degree, with the top and bottom portions of the airbagmaintaining a fairly inflexible state during inflation. Embodiments inwhich the yarns in the side panels are offset or angled relative to theyarns in the front and/or rear panels, as described above, may be usedto provide this configuration.

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict fabric rolls used in manufacturing particularembodiments of the invention described herein and illustrate how some ofthe shapes utilized by embodiments of the invention can allow forefficient nesting patterns to minimize waste of fabric material inmass-producing airbag cushions. In FIG. 4A, a nesting pattern is shownin which side panels 130 and 140 are nested together to formsubstantially rectangular shapes. Rear panels 120 are nested verticallyadjacent to the side panels and, in the depicted embodiments, consist ofrectangular shapes having approximately the same width as the rectanglesformed by nesting the side panels together.

Additionally, front panels 110 are nested together with a plurality offront panels 110 in a first row 224 abutting one another and a pluralityof front panels 110 in a second row 226 abutting one another. Asdepicted in the figure, the front panels 110 in the second row 226 areoffset and upside down relative to the front panels 110 in the first row224 and offset, such that each of the flaps (to be used to form bottomfaces 118) from front panels 110 in the first row 224 fits within thegaps between flaps 118 from front panels 110 in the second row 226, andvice versa. As can also be seen from the figure, various other elements,such as tethers 160, heat shields 162, doublers 164, and ventreinforcements 152 can be nested above, below, between, next to, orotherwise among the panel elements.

In the fabric roll depicted in FIG. 4B, an alternative nesting patternis depicted. This embodiment differs from that of FIG. 4A in that thefront panels 110 are not offset from one another. Instead, the frontpanels 110 are positioned to face one another with the flaps 118positioned directly opposite from one another rather than interdigitatedwith one another. Heat shields 162 are positioned in the gaps betweenflaps 118.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the artcan use the preceding description to utilize the invention to itsfullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to beconstrued as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope ofthe present invention in any way. It will be apparent to those havingskill in the art that changes may be made to the details of theabove-described embodiments without departing from the underlyingprinciples of the invention. In other words, various modifications andimprovements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in thedescription above are within the scope of the appended claims. The scopeof the invention is therefore defined by the following claims.

1. An airbag cushion, the airbag cushion upon inflation comprising: afront panel comprising a substantially rectangular front face; a firstsubstantially triangular side face connected with the front panel; asecond substantially triangular side face positioned opposite from thefirst side face and connected with the front panel; and a rear panelcomprising an upper rear face and a lower rear face, wherein the upperrear face is connected to a first side of both the first and second sidefaces and the lower rear face is connected to a second side of both thefirst and second side faces.
 2. The airbag cushion of claim 1, whereinthe front panel further comprises first and second substantiallyrectangular front panel side faces, wherein the first and second frontpanel side faces are positioned opposite from one another.
 3. The airbagcushion of claim 2, wherein the front panel further comprises asubstantially rectangular bottom face and wherein the front panel bottomface is connected to the rear panel.
 4. The airbag cushion of claim 1,wherein the rear panel further comprises a top face, wherein the rearpanel top face is connected to the front panel.
 5. The airbag cushion ofclaim 1, wherein the rear panel comprises a single piece of material. 6.The airbag cushion of claim 5, wherein the piece of material comprisingthe rear panel was substantially rectangular prior to incorporation intothe airbag cushion.
 7. An airbag cushion comprising: a front panel; afirst substantially triangular side panel connected with the frontpanel; a second substantially triangular side panel positioned oppositefrom the first side panel and connected with the front panel; and a rearpanel, wherein the airbag cushion is configured such that the first andsecond side panels stretch during inflation to a significantly greaterdegree than the front and rear panels.
 8. The airbag cushion of claim 7,wherein the first and second side panels are approximately the same sizeand shape.
 9. The airbag cushion of claim 7, wherein each of the panelsare made from the same material.
 10. The airbag cushion of claim 7,wherein the front panel comprises a substantially rectangular frontface.
 11. The airbag cushion of claim 10, wherein the front panelfurther comprises first and second substantially rectangular side faces.12. The airbag cushion of claim 11, wherein the front panel furthercomprises a substantially rectangular bottom face.
 13. The airbagcushion of claim 7, wherein the rear panel comprises an upper rear faceand a lower rear face, wherein the upper rear face is connected to afirst side of both the first and second side panels and the lower rearface is connected to a second side of both the first and second sidepanels.
 14. The airbag cushion of claim 13, wherein the rear panelfurther comprises a top face, wherein the top face is connected to thefront panel.
 15. An airbag cushion, comprising: a first woven panelhaving first yarns extending approximately laterally relative to anoccupant following inflation of the airbag cushion and second yarnsextending approximately vertically relative to the occupant followinginflation of the airbag cushion; a second woven panel connected to thefirst woven panel, wherein the second woven panel is substantiallytriangular in shape, and wherein the second woven panel has first yarnsextending at an angle relative to both the first and second yarns of thefirst woven panel following inflation of the airbag cushion; and a thirdwoven panel connected to the first woven panel, wherein the third wovenpanel is substantially triangular in shape, and wherein the third wovenpanel has first yarns extending at an angle relative to both the firstand second yarns of the first woven panel following inflation of theairbag cushion.
 16. The airbag cushion of claim 15, wherein the thirdwoven panel is approximately the same size and shape as the second wovenpanel.
 17. The airbag cushion of claim 15, wherein the first woven panelcomprises a front panel, and further comprising a fourth woven panelconnected to the second and third woven panels, wherein the fourth wovenpanel comprises a rear panel.
 18. The airbag cushion of claim 17,wherein the front panel comprises a substantially rectangular shapehaving a substantially rectangular flap extending from approximately thecenter of one side of the front panel.
 19. The airbag cushion of claim17, wherein the rear panel includes three substantially rectangularfaces.
 20. The airbag cushion of claim 15, wherein the second and thirdwoven panels comprise side panels, and wherein, following inflation ofthe airbag cushion, the side panels are positioned opposite from oneanother.
 21. The airbag cushion of claim 15, wherein the angles at whichthe first yarns of the second woven panel extend from the first andsecond yarns of the first woven panel following inflation of the airbagcushion are at least about thirty degrees.
 22. The airbag cushion ofclaim 21, wherein the angles at which the first yarns of the secondwoven panel extend from the first and second yarns of the first wovenpanel following inflation of the airbag cushion are each aboutforty-five degrees.
 23. An airbag cushion, comprising: a rear panelhaving an inflator opening formed therein; a front panel, wherein thefront panel is folded along a first line to form a first side portionand along a second line to form a second side portion, wherein the frontpanel includes a front face portion defined by the first line and thesecond line, and wherein the front face portion has a widthapproximately equal to the width of the rear panel; a first side panelconnected to both the rear panel and the front panel; and a second sidepanel connected to both the rear panel and the front panel andpositioned opposite from the first side panel.
 24. The airbag cushion ofclaim 23, wherein upon inflation the minimum distance from the center ofthe inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about 140 mm. 25.The airbag cushion of claim 24, wherein upon inflation the minimumdistance from the center of the inflator opening to a connection seam isat least about 170 mm.
 26. The airbag cushion of claim 25, wherein uponinflation the minimum distance from the center of the inflator openingto a connection seam is at least about 200 mm.
 27. The airbag cushion ofclaim 23, wherein the first and second side panels are triangular inshape.
 28. The airbag cushion of claim 27, wherein the first and secondside panels are approximately the same size and shape.
 29. The airbagcushion of claim 23, wherein the front panel further comprises asubstantially rectangular flap extending from the front face portion.30. The airbag cushion of claim 29, wherein the flap is folded andconnected to the rear panel, the first side portion, and the second sideportion.
 31. An airbag cushion, the airbag cushion upon inflationcomprising: a rear panel having an inflator opening formed therein; afront panel; a first side panel connected to both the rear panel and thefront panel; and a second side panel connected to both the rear paneland the front panel and positioned opposite from the first side panel,wherein the panels are connected to one another at a plurality ofconnection seams, and wherein the minimum distance from the center ofthe inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about 140 mm. 32.The airbag cushion of claim 31, wherein the minimum distance from thecenter of the inflator opening to a connection seam is at least about170 mm.
 33. The airbag cushion of claim 32, wherein the minimum distancefrom the center of the inflator opening to a connection seam is at leastabout 200 mm.
 34. The airbag cushion of claim 31, wherein the first andsecond side panels are triangular in shape.
 35. The airbag cushion ofclaim 34, wherein the first and second side panels are approximately thesame size and shape.
 36. A method for constructing an airbag cushion,comprising: providing a first substantially triangular side panel;providing a second substantially triangular side panel, wherein thesecond side panel is approximately the same size and shape as the firstside panel such that the first and second side panels can be nestedtogether into a substantially rectangular shape; providing asubstantially rectangular rear panel; providing a front panel;reconfiguring the rear panel such that it has at least two faces;connecting the first side panel to the rear panel and the front panel;and connecting the second side panel to the rear panel and the frontpanel such that the first side panel is positioned opposite from thesecond side panel.
 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step ofreconfiguring the rear panel is done by partially folding the rearpanel.
 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the rear panel isreconfigured such that it has at least three faces, and wherein the stepof reconfiguring the rear panel is done by partially folding the rearpanel along two separate lines.
 39. The method of claim 36, wherein thefront panel comprises a substantially rectangular piece of materialhaving a substantially rectangular flap extending from approximately thecenter of one side of the substantially rectangular piece of material.40. The method of claim 39, wherein the front panel is shaped such thatmultiple front panels can be nested together by positioning a pluralityof front panels in a first row abutting one another and a plurality offront panels in a second row abutting one another, wherein the frontpanels in the second row are offset and upside down relative to thefront panels in the first row, such that each of the flaps from frontpanels in the first row fits within the gaps between flaps from frontpanels in the second row and vice versa.
 41. The method of claim 36,further comprising the step of reconfiguring the front panel so as toform a first side portion, a second side portion, and a front faceportion.
 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of reconfiguringthe front panel is done by folding the front panel along a first lineand a second line such that the front face portion is defined by thefirst line and the second line.